ANKARA - These are some of the major headlines and their brief stories in Turkey's press on October 5, 2002. The Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
HURRIYET (LIBERAL)
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BARGAINING ABOUT 15 PERCENT
When Kurdish parliament convened in Northern Iraq, a meeting was held at the Presidential Palace under chairmanship of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. As a result, debates on the draft constitution was postponed at the Kurdish parliament. Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (IKDP) leader Massoud Barzani and Patriotic Union for Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) leader Jalal Talabani decided to convene the parliament once in three months not to distress Ankara. Meanwhile, there was a serious bargaining among Ankara, Washington D.C. and Irbil. While Kurdish groups proposed a 5-6 percent representation for the Turkmen at the Kurdish parliament, Turkey insisted that the Turkmen should be represented at the parliament by 15 percent.
CYPRUS TALKS IN NEW YORK END
Two-day Cyprus meetings among President Rauf Denktas of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Greek Cypriot leader Glafcos Clerides and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan ended. President Denktas said that they would come together with Annan in November. Meanwhile, Annan expressed his pleasure with the two leaders' efforts to find a solution.
''FARAWAY'' PRESENTED WITH BEST FILM AWARD
''Uzak (Faraway)'' directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan was presented with the Best Film Award in the 39th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. Firat Tanis won the Best Actor Award with his performance in ''Sir Cocuklari (Children of the Mystery)'' and Meral Oguz was presented with the Best Actress Award for her performance in ''Martilar Acken (When Sea Gulls are Hungry)''. Meanwhile, Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Best Director Award.
MILLIYET (LIBERAL)
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GOOD NEWS
The best news came from the French-flagged L'Atalante vessel and from its submarine robot ''Victor 6000''. According to the scientific studies on the fault line in Marmara Sea, length of the fault line that may break in a possible earthquake is not 110 kilometres, but 50 kilometres. 60-kilometre part of the fault line was already broken in the earthquake in 1912.
TUSIAD TO VISIT EU COUNTRIES AFTER GENERAL ELECTIONS
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association delegation which had held contacts in member countries to the European Union (EU), decided to pay visits to the EU countries again following the general elections on November 3, 2002. TUSIAD delegation will continue holding contacts in Washington D.C., Copenhagen and Lisbon till the general elections.
SABAH (LIBERAL)
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YILMAZ: ''EU IS WAITING FOR GENERAL ELECTIONS''
State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz who held a series of contacts during the meeting of the European Convention in Brussels, said, ''the European Union (EU) is waiting for the results of the general elections on November 3, 2002. The Progress Report for Turkey will be released on October 9. The report will include a technical assessment about Turkey. I got the impression from my contacts in Brussels that the EU would give broad place to the steps taken by Turkey in the last one and an half years.''
FILORI: ''NEWS STORIES ABOUT TURKEY ARE NOT RIGHT''
Jean-Christophe Filori, the spokesman of European Union (EU) Commissioner Guenter Verheugen for enlargement, denied news stories transmitted by some foreign news agencies claiming that the EU would not set a date for the beginning of accession talks with Turkey, but it would offer an annual aid worth of 1 billion euros. After these news stories caused harsh reactions both in Turkey and Brussels, a number of foreign journalists asked questions to Filori about the issue during the daily press conference of the EU Commission. Filori said that Turkey had recorded important progress. Recalling that Verheugen expressed his satisfaction over Turkey's progress on many occasions, Filori said that the progress would be included in the report.
CUMHURIYET (LEFT)
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IRAQ ALARM IN ANKARA
At a summit on Iraq that was held at the Presidential Palace following the Kurdish parliament's session, it was decided to accelerate preparations against every possibility. Convention of parliament by Kurdish groups in Irbil six years later set Ankara into action. Upon President Ahmet Necdet Sezer's request, high-level state officials came together at the Presidential Palace. At this extraordinary summit, the message that said, ''we don't accept an operation which is not on basis of international legitimacy'' was given to the United States. At the meeting, the speeches that were delivered and decisions that were taken at the ''regional Kurdish parliament'' were evaluated positively. However, it was decided to convey warnings that an initiative for foundation of an independent state will never be accepted with the opinion that Kurdish groups can ''go too far'' at any time.
ECONOMY SUFFERS SERIOUS DAMAGE
Turkey is trying to envisage the amount of economic destruction in a possible U.S. attack on Iraq. Economy Minister Masum Turker gave information to President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel. Turker warned, ''operation may cause a serious economic crisis''. Meanwhile, in a meeting at the Prime Ministry on disaster action plan, it was estimated that 70 or 80 thousand people would enter Turkey in case of an operation.
RADIKAL (LEFT)
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EU EXCLUDES TURKEY
The news stories saying that the draft Progress Report about Turkey was negative, created shock in Turkey. Some European Union (EU) officials tried to deny these news stories, however, Prime Minister Rasmussen of Denmark, the current term president of the EU, said that Turkey had not fulfilled the political criteria yet to get a date for the beginning of accession talks. Meanwhile, it was claimed that Cyprus would become a member of the EU soon whether or not an agreement is reached between the two sides on the island.
CONSTUTIONAL COURT TO DEBATE MHP'S REQUEST ON OCTOBER 8
The Constitutional Court will debate Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) request for annulment of some articles of the European Union (EU) adjustment laws on October 8, on the eve of release of the Progress Report for Turkey. Earlier, MHP applied to the Constitutional Court and requested annulment of some articles of the EU adjustment package including death penalty, and education and broadcasting in mother tongue.
TURKIYE (RIGHT)
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''THEY HAVE ALREADY GONE TOO FAR''
New Turkey Party (YTP) leader Ismail Cem responded to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit who stated, ''we do what is necessary when they go too far'', by saying, ''they have already gone too far.'' Cem said, ''there is a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq and Turkey's security would be endangered if measures are not taken.'' Noting that limits had been exceeded in Northern Iraq, Cem said that the Kurdish state ''which has gained de facto structure'' is being supported against Saddam Hussein. Asking the government to inform Turkish people more on the developments, Cem said, ''seizure of especially Kirkuk by this 'new state' causes a long term Arab-Kurdish war and a new Palestine problem for Turkey.''
''INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN CANNOT BE FOUNDED''
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said, ''it was impossible for Turkey to accept a Kurdish state, an independent Kurdistan state that is tried to be founded in Northern Iraq.''
SUMMIT ON IRAQ AT PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
A summit was held at the Presidential Palace on Iraq issue and the message saying, ''an operation which is not based on international legitimacy is unacceptable'' was given. Baghdad was called on to fulfil its responsibilities while it was mentioned that there is not an extraordinary situation in Northern Iraq.
''IMMEDIATE'' DENIAL FROM EU
It was claimed that the Progress Report which will be announced by the EU Commission on October 9 mentions that a date for opening of accession negotiations with Turkey would not set. However, the EU Commission immediately denied this claim after reactions from Turkey.
ZAMAN (CONSERVATIVE)
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UNITED STATES AND KURDS EXCLUDE TURKEY, ANKARA UNEASY
The parliament in which Kurdish groups in Northern Iraq are represented convened for the first time yesterday since 1996. At this session to which U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell sent a congratulatory message, it was decided to adopt the Washington Process. At the end of the Ankara Process, Turkey had gained an inspector role in the region but after this latest development, influence of Turkey over the region weakened. Ankara which decided to closely monitor representation of Turkmen at the Kurdish parliament said that possible operation against Iraq ''should be based on international legitimacy''. The Washington Process assigns the Iraqi Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union for Iraqi Kurdistan (PUK) to take decisions about the region while the United States undertakes the observer role in implementation of these decisions.